Suspensions of modern passenger cars have become relatively complex in order to fulfill the safety and performance demands required by customers. This complexity has led to multi-link rear suspension systems with control arms and a toe link. The toe link is typically longitudinally adjustable in order to allow for the compensation within a given tolerance during the final assembly of the suspension system.
Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art adjustable toe link 10 is shown as having a first rod 120 with a machined alignment surface 315 and a second rod 130 with a machined alignment surface 325. These machined aligned surfaces 315 and 325 are located within an adjuster 100 that permits axial movement of the machined alignment surfaces 315 and 325, and thus the rods 120 and 130, relative to one another by using the external threads 122 and 132 of the rods 120 and 130 respectively in combination with internal threads (not shown) of the adjuster 100. The external threads 122 can be either left-hand threads or right-hand threads, with the external threads 132 being opposite to the external threads 122. In this manner, rotation of the adjuster 100 causes the extension or contraction of the overall length of a toe link 10.
In operation, rotation of the adjuster 100 in a first direction results in the screwing of the first rod 120 and the second rod 130 into the adjuster thus shortening the length of the toe link 10. In the alternative, rotation of the adjuster 100 in an opposite second direction results in the unscrewing of the first rod 120 and the second rod 130 from the adjuster 100 causing the toe link 10 to lengthen axially. The machined alignment surfaces 315 and 325 prevent relative rotation of the first rod 120 and the second rod 130 as the adjuster 100 is rotated with one of the rods 120 or 130. In addition, the machined alignment surfaces lessen the load on the distal ends of the first rod 120 and the second rod 130 that attach to the suspension system of the motor vehicle to resist rotation of the toe link. 10.
After the desired overall length of the toe link 10 has been obtained by rotating the adjuster 100 relative to the first rod 120 and the second rod 130, a pair of jamb nuts 110 can be tightened against the adjuster 100 in order to set the toe link 10 at a desired fixed length. In this manner, the toe link 10 can be lengthened and shortened and subsequently fixed at a given length. Although such a toe link adjuster 100 is useful, the requirement of the machined alignment surfaces 315 and 325 increases the complexity and cost of adjustable toe links. Therefore, an adjustable toe link that can provide adjustment to its overall length while not requiring machined alignment surfaces would be desirable.